Treacherous Waters
by booknerd95
Summary: What if Shade missed the mantaboard and shot Ty instead? How would that change the story? Ty is now injured and being reeled in by the notorious outlaw  and taken as a hostage on board the Specter. He's certainly in treacherous waters now.
1. Chapter 1

**Well this is ****my first story for Dark Life but it looks so sad looking with only 7 stories and really half of them have nothing to do with the actual book... that's just wrong...**

**Title is credited by CheshireNeko122... thanks for helping me out...**

**It's rate K+ because you know of a few cuss words like in the book... in my other stories it's sort of violent and yeah but this one isn't... it's just... well you'll see where I'm going with this...**

**If you are visiting but haven't necessarily read the book then I suggest you do... It's a wonderful book.**

**Disclaimer: For every single chapter written for this story, let it be said that I own nothing from Dark Life... everything belongs to Kat Falls.**

* * *

><p>Chapter One<p>

Pain. That was the first thing Ty thought of. The outlaw's aim was dead on. He didn't miss his shot and Ty was here with a harpoon sticking through his right shoulder. He tried to move in time but he wasn't fast enough to move out of the way of the outlaw's harpoon.

He would've screamed if it weren't for the liquigen. The pain was sharp and intense. The water turned murky around him. The crown lights on his helmet only made the bloody water stand out. Any shark within a mile would smell that and come swimming for him.

He had to get away. He had to get help. Someone had to be here! They couldn't have left him behind.

Shade started to reel him in like the catch of the day with short, sharp tugs of the harpoon line. Ty tried to struggle to get free but he was being dragged in like a fish. There had to be something he could do. He wasn't just going to let himself be killed by the outlaw. His emerald knife! Of course. He could cut the line and dig out Hewitt's mantaboard out of the ocean much and ride it home. Of course that would be impossible with the harpoon through his shoulder. But he had to try.

Ty reached for his knife with his good hand and tried to fish it out from his dive belt. The outlaw continued to bring him in closer and closer still. He brought the knife up to the line and started to cut his way through it. The line snapped. He sank to the bottom of the ocean and laid in the muck.

A figure hovered over him. His body wouldn't respond to his commands. He has to stand now!

He didn't. He couldn't.

Shade only gripped his bad arm and picked him up. A large submarine hovered into view. Ty's blood ran ice cold. He knew what that was. A circle of light beamed down upon them. Shade kicked upwards and passed Ty into the hands of the other outlaws waiting in the sub.

He was dumped on the floor like a net full of fish. An outlaw jerked his helmet off. He took in a deep breath and let the liquigen evaporate from his lungs. The lights were dim. He couldn't make out any faces, but two outlaws were near him. The pain didn't help either. He could feel the harpoon inside of him. It was uncomfortable. Whenever he moved, pain shot down the right side of his body, immobilizing him.

"You caught a guppy, Shade," an outlaw said and bent down to take a closer look at him.

"He was being nosy," he said deeply and bent down to Ty's level. "Weren't you, guppy?" The albino smiled down at Ty. Shivers went down his spine.

Shade stood up. "Where are the others?"

"Just finishing up their business," the outlaw answered.

"Radio them in, we gotta get moving."

"What do we do with the guppy here?" the other outlaw asked.

Shade shrugged. His skin suddenly darkened. Ty was probably hallucinating. Loss of blood will do that to you. Maybe it was a trick of the light.

"I don't know," he said. "Pull the harpoon out and stick him in the common room. We'll have a discussion later tonight with what we should do with him." The way he said discussions sent Ty into another round of shivers.

"Hang on tight, guppy," an outlaw said and grinned, giving Ty full view of his sharpened teeth, sharpened like a shark's. "This is gonna hurt." The outlaw pushed the barbs of the harpoon in and yanked it out in one pull.

Ty screamed and gripped his bleeding shoulder. He curled up into a ball to ignore the pain. Tears dripped down his face. He was scared, he was in pain, he wanted to go home. He didn't want to be stuck here with outlaws. There were a number of things they could do to him. None of which were pretty.

Three more outlaws stepped into the sub. All of their helmets were darkened so he couldn't see who they were. They all looked at him with mild interest. One by one they pulled off their helmets.

"What do we have here?" a dark haired one asked and smiled. "Looks like we've got ourselves a treat."

"We should kick him into the ocean and let him be shark bait," the one with long blonde hair and icy blue eyes said.

"That's not how we operate here, Pretty," Shade warned. "Hatchet's looking after him right now. Nobody's touching him. Got it?" The outlaws all mumbled their answers. That didn't make Ty feel any better. "Now, get cleaned up," he ordered. "We're moving out." They all started to move around and become just a little bit organized before the _Specter _moved out into open water.

Ty looked at the open hatch. It was his only means of escape. Sure he was in pain, but it was better than the alternative which was staying where he was.

Yes, he would dive back into the safe ocean, his home, and swim to the surface. There had to be a boat cruising about.

He shimmied across the floor while the outlaws walked around him, cleaning up their gear. He was close now, so close to slipping into the cool embrace of the ocean. He dipped his fingers into the water.

Hatchet nudged him back with his foot and the hatch was securely closed. Ty's hopes of escaping sank. There was no chance of escape now.

Ty felt himself being dragged back by the outlaw. His shoulder screamed in protest with every little jerk Hatchet gave him. When he was in the back of the common room, Hatchet set to work on binding his bad shoulder. Ty couldn't hide his fear anymore. He wasn't as strong as his parents thought he was. Oh no. Ma and Pa! What was he going to do about them? They would be sick with grief when he doesn't come back home. Everyone would be out looking for him. Ma, Pa, Lars, Raj, even the Topsider girl Gemma. That was a little comforting, knowing that he had a lot of people ready to look for him. With that, he closed his eyes and submerged into a world of pain.

* * *

><p><strong>I don't care if anybody re<strong>**views or not I just want to write this story so at least more people will take notice of this amazing book..**


	2. Chapter 2

**WOOO! ten views in one day... excellent... here's chapter two and I will finish this story no matter what... I ain't leaving until the job is finished...**

* * *

><p>Chapter Two<p>

When Ty regained consciousness, he found himself in a worse predicament then he had originally been in. For one thing, they took away his ruined dive suit and left him in only his boxers with a blanket that covered him. That was thoughtful. His shoulder was crudely bandaged. A red spot had stained through already but at least it was bandaged. The last thing Hatchet had done for him was tie him to a pipe that ran up the wall he was next to. The rope was tied securely with a complicated looking knot. The other end of the rope was tied to Ty's left wrist. He fiddled with the knot a bit but couldn't seem to loosen it. Obviously the outlaws didn't want him going anywhere.

He coughed and shifted his position. He looked around the room he was in. It was definitely the common room. In front of him he could see padded benches lining the wall with a table surrounded by them. More benches lined another wall but he was nowhere close to it. He looked up and saw a dart board above from where he was laying. Instead of darts, knives were used. Taxidermy sea creatures adorned the walls and a punching bag was suspended in the corner opposite him.

"You awake, guppy?"

Ty turned his head and saw the dark haired outlaw. His messy hair looked like it never met a brush. It was knot-filled and sticking up in every direction.

"The name's Eel," the outlaw said and sat down cross legged by Ty. "What's yours?"

He turned his head and looked away.

"Giving me the silent treatment, eh?" he said and smiled. "That's alright. I understand. But we need to call you something." He smiled even wider like he had one of those light bulb moments. "We can call you Guppy. It's perfect for you, too. Being as young as you are and all."

Ty didn't look back at him and swallowed hard. Tears stung his eyes. He didn't want to be here. He didn't want to be called Guppy. He wanted to go home. He yanked the rope that kept him tied to the pipe. He took in a deep breath to calm his rattled nerves and closed his eyes, waiting for this nightmare to end.

"Has he said anything yet, Eel?" It could only be Shade.

"Nope. Tight lipped for now but give him a day or two and he'll open right up."

Ty heard Shade take a few steps closer. A hand gripped his chin. He opened his eyes and thrashed out of his grip. He widened his eyes when he saw that Shade wasn't albino at all. His skin was smooth and tan. Did he wear white zinc paste to fool everyone? His eyes were a deep shade of blue, like the ocean. They weren't pink or black or anything like that. Maybe he wore dark lenses. Shade looked… normal, like an actual human being.

Shade smirked at his expense. "Confused aren't you?" His gaze dropped to Ty's injured shoulder. He prodded it, making Ty wince. "Should've stopped bleeding by now. I wouldn't have shot you if you hadn't been following me. Now you have to pay the consequences." He straightened to his full height and crossed his arms over his bare chest, showing off a strong chest and strong arms. "What do you think we should call him until he opens up?"

"Figure we could call him Guppy for now until he starts talking," answered Eel.

Shade nodded in agreement. "Guppy it is."

Ty looked to the wall and shut his eyes. When would this nightmare end?

When he opened his eyes again, Shade and Eel were gone. He was all alone in his corner and that was the way he wanted to keep it.

He heard the outlaws talking in a hatch in the ceiling. Another room was up there. This sub was huge. He listened for the dull roar of an engine of sorts but couldn't find one. There was only a soft hum. It was a stealth sub, gliding silently through the waters like an actual Great White shark.

He was in and out of consciousness throughout the rest of the day. He wasn't sure what to do in this situation. His parents never told him what to do if he was taken hostage.

The smell of food cooking woke him up. His stomach growled. Hopefully the outlaws would be planning to feed him. He couldn't exactly afford to lose weight.

The outlaws assembled around the table in the common room across from Ty. He pulled the blanket up higher. As long as he didn't look at them he could at least try to pretend that this was some horrible nightmare and that he would wake up soon enough.

From the corner of his eye, he could see six outlaws gathered around the table. Shade was the only one with the shaved head so it was pretty easy to identify him. Pretty was pretty easy as well. His blonde hair dropped down to his ribs and his ice blue eyes stared at him with little interest. Eel had two gold teeth set in his mouth. He seemed the friendliest out of all of them. If Ty had a choice, he'd be most willing to talk to Eel, but still he was an outlaw.

He remembered Hatchet alright. The pointed teeth looked like they could rip through anything, but compared to Pretty's icy stare they weren't all that menacing as they seemed. The other two he had no idea what their names were. One looked to be near Ty's age, fifteen. He was probably a year older than Ty, the youngest of the gang with vibrant green eyes that looked radioactive. The last one had a wicked looking scar running across his cheek. But with his combed back hair he could pass as a Topsider.

Ty knew a little bit about this gang. The Seablite Gang he thought they were called. Didn't they escape from prison a few years ago? Only most of them looked too young to have been in jail a few years ago. It didn't make any sense.

Let's see. What else did he know about this gang? Shade was the leader. He certainly looked like the oldest since the others did everything that he ordered them to do. What was the name of the submarine he was in again? Prospector, star… no. Specter! That's it. Ty was on the _Specter_. That was bad news though. No one knew how to catch the _Specter_. It was impossible. No one knew how it was done but whenever the _Specter _passed overhead, lights would cut out and everything electrical would be off and wouldn't come back on until the sub had passed.

The Seablite Gang has been terrorizing Benthic Territory and ships all over the place. Ranger Grimes at the Trade Station wouldn't do anything about the situation. Ty wouldn't be surprised if he didn't even leave his office to come looking for him.

"What should we do with him?" he heard Pretty ask.

They talked like he wasn't even there. He pulled the blanket up further and pressed harder into the wall, wishing he could just go through it and drop back into the ocean.

"Ransom him," Eel said. "His parents will pay a lovely price to get him back."

"Not before he gives us all away first," the outlaw with the green eyes said and ate something from the bowl in front of him.

"We can make sure he never speaks again," Pretty suggested. Ty saw him finger a knife and shivered.

"That's not how we work," Shade said firmly. "None of you are touching him for as long as he is on the _Specter_. Got it?" The outlaws grumbled in agreement. "Besides, I'm sure Guppy has some useful information that we could have. Warehouses, ships, fishing hotspots for example…"

"How are you suggesting we get the information out of him?" Hatchet asked. "Kid hasn't said a word since we hauled him in."

"He'll talk," Shade assured them, "if he knows what's good for him."

Ty turned to face the wall and tugged on the rope. No matter what he tried, the rope would not come loose. The knot was too tight and too intricate. It would take him forever to get free. Maybe when they were all asleep he could try and escape. They had dive suits, liquigen, everything he needed to go back home, assuming he wouldn't get lost on the way.

The outlaws finished their meal and went off to do other things, whatever those things were. A bowl of something was set down beside him. He looked up and saw Pretty.

"Eat up," he said and walked away.

Ty hauled himself into a sitting position with the aid of the pipe. He kept the blanket tightly wrapped around himself. He looked down at the bowl of unknown contents and picked it up. It was warm but didn't look all that appetizing. Random bits of fish floated around in this milky soup like substance. If this was the type of food he was going to get here, he couldn't afford to be choosy.

Picking up the spoon, he ate a small bite preparing himself for the worst. It wasn't all that bad. It wasn't like Ma's cooking but at least it tasted alright. He lapped it up quickly and scraped the last remaining bits of the fish stew out of the bowl. He set it down beside him and sat in the corner, unmoving.

The outlaws walked about through hatches and kept themselves busy. The youngest outlaw picked up Ty's bowl and tossed him a bottle of water. The outlaw scowled at him and disappeared through the open hatchway past the common room. He sipped the water carefully. It could be drugged. Who knows what kinds of things they had in store for him here.

Later on, he heard chatting in a hatchway above the common room. The sleeping berths were up there, he supposed. The outlaws were settling down for the night. They laughed and joked with each other, like one big happy family really. The lights were dimmed so the contours of objects were still visible but not their details and the like.

He sent out a series of clicks. They bounced off the walls and objects back to him and he created a mental image of his surroundings. Just so he was sure no one would sneak up on him during the night and knife him. He was at the mercy of the Seablite Gang now. He had nothing to protect himself but the blanket. He pulled it tighter around himself.

When he was sure the outlaws were asleep, he started to work on the knot. Sending out clicks he made out the shape of the knot and worked on it tirelessly. He was no closer to escaping than he was when Shade shot him.

He pulled his hand back under the blankets and cradled his injured arm. With one more round of clicks sent out, making sure no one was around; he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>I don't think the story is going that bad... I like it so far<strong>**... until next time enjoy your day**


	3. Chapter 3

**Not much talki****ng in this chapter but I promise more dialogue in the next chapter... just hang on.**

* * *

><p>Chapter Three<p>

Age five.

It was one of Ty's first days out in the open ocean. Ma tugged on the tether that was tied securely to her dive belt and his. He looked away from the bright blue fish swimming around his head and waded over to his mother. She held out her hand. He reached up and took it.

They waded towards the kelp fields where Pa was already starting to harvest to ripe kelp. Pa explained how most of their crops go towards paying their bills. It was a good deal so far. The Commonwealth got food and supplies and Ty go to live happily in his jelly fish shaped home.

He watched Ma bring out a pair of shears specially designed to cut kelp. She cut the long stalks of kelp down to size with her waist. She explained that you shouldn't cut kelp all the way down to the root. If you did, the plant wouldn't grow as well. You had to leave the plant with enough to work with so that the roots would grow deep and strong, producing even better kelp than before.

Pa gathered up the floating strands of kelp and tied them up in bundles. To each bundle a weight was attached so they wouldn't float to the surface of the ocean. That way the bundles could be collected and placed in a storage container to be taken away tomorrow.

Ty looked around at the schools of fish swimming around. Their colours shimmered as they zigzagged throughout the water, the sunlight bouncing off their scales and producing beautiful rainbows. He reached up and ran his hand through one of the beautiful dark blue schools of fish that swam around their property. He smiled. Life in the ocean. Was there anything better?

* * *

><p>Something bumped against him. Ty woke up from his pleasant dream about home and found a set of clothes dumped onto him. He looked around but no one was near him. He sat up too quickly. After a perfectly blissful sleep, he forgot about his shoulder. It ached fiercely.<p>

It was still quiet on the _Specter_. The outlaws must still be asleep. He sent out clicks. They bounced back at him, reporting that there was indeed a person standing in the room with him. He froze. Sending out more clicks he determined the person to be Shade. The picture in his mind was all too clear. Bare chested still, the outlaw leaned against the table with his arms crossed over his chest.

"You can see me, can't you?" he asked quietly. He took two steps forward and stopped. "How is that possible?" Shade's skin rippled as he became visible in the dim lighting. His skin was no longer black but that deep tan he favoured.

_A Dark Gift,_ Ty thought. No one could change the colour of their skin. Shade smirked when he saw the look of confusion on Ty's face. Just for extra effects, he put on a dazzling display of tattoos writhing around his body like snakes. How could he have gotten a Dark Gift? The Seablite Gang arrived less than a year ago. Ty has been living subsea all his life. Born and raised with a Dark Gift of biosonar, like a dolphin.

He couldn't speak the words he wanted to. In his mind he knew that what he said could be used against him. It'd be best just to keep his mouth shut.

"What?" the outlaw probed. "Catfish got your tongue?" Shade crouched down to Ty's level and looked him straight in the eyes, his skin flashing brilliant colours like a red devil squid, red then white.

Ty shrunk back against the wall. Shade grinned. His dazzling display stopped and he resumed the pattern of the tattoos.

"I've been wondering, Guppy," he said in a low, ominous tone. "What's your real name?" Ty swallowed. He wanted to look away but he couldn't. The tattoos slithered around on Shade's skin. "I said, what's your name?" The tattoos stopped. Ty met Shade's gaze and almost whimpered. His eyes were fully black. There was no white, just black.

He opened his mouth to say something, anything but words just had to fail him at the wrong moment. The outlaw didn't take the silence very well. His hand shot out and gripped Ty around the throat. He stood with Ty in his grasp, gripping Shade's wrist with his good hand.

Shade pressed Ty against the wall and got in closer. "I can make you talk," he whispered. "Would you like that, Guppy?"

"Ty," he croaked. "It's Ty."

Shade grinned and gently released his throat. "That's all I wanted to know." He stepped back and lumbered off back the way he came.

Ty slid down against the wall. He rubbed his throat and stared after the retreating figure. The man didn't need his strength to get answers. All he needed was his words and he could get any information he wanted.

Ty picked up the set of clothes and slipped into them. They didn't exactly smell nice, but at least he had something to cover himself with than just the blanket. Dressed in a t-shirt and knee length shorts he drew the blanket around his shoulders and held his injured arm close to his chest. He could still feel the grip of Shade's hand around his throat. Lesson learned: answer every question given.

The day moved on much like the day before. Shade roused the outlaws and they all scampered down from hatch in the ceiling. They dispersed and did whatever they had to do. When the morning chores were done, the outlaws broke for breakfast. Once again, Ty didn't exist. They spoke loudly and chewed with their mouths open. Of course that was to be expected with such disgusting animals he was being held by.

"Breakfast time, Guppy," Eel said cheerfully and set down another bowl. It looked like he would always be fed after they had something to eat. Of course they would do that. They wouldn't want to waste any extra food on him.

Looking forward to a good meal, he was a little disappointed when he all he got were cubes of bread siting in warmed whale's milk. On the other hand he wouldn't be doing anything today so of course he wouldn't need much food. Sitting on the floor didn't waste any calories.

He ate slowly savouring every bite like it would be his last. The glares and smiles he got from the outlaws sent shivers down his spine. The way Pretty twirled his knife made Ty want to whimper and cower beneath his blanket but he was not, repeat, _not _going to give him the satisfaction of seeing him scared.

When the _Specter _started to slow, the outlaws readied themselves to leave. Ty heard them up where the berths were. There was probably hatch up there as well. Hatchet dropped by to check the Ty's rope before they left. Shade didn't want him escaping while they were gone. He tightened the rope around the pipe and his wrist, almost too tight.

"It's too tight," Ty whispered, barely audible.

Hatchet only grinned and climbed up the ladder and disappeared.

The rope, in fact, was too tight. He could feel a heartbeat in his hand, trying to force the blood past the rope. He waited until he was sure the outlaws were out of the _Specter. _Waiting a few extra minutes just to be sure, he went to work on the rope.

"Come on," he said and worked on the knot. Without his other hand, it was hard trying to untie the knots involved. He lifted his right hand to try and help, but it was hard enough to try and keep it up. He resorted to using his teeth but no matter what he tried, the knot wouldn't come loose.

"Crap." Ty stood up and walked as far as he could with the limited amount of rope he was given. He ran his hand through his hair and thought about the situation he was in. There was no way he was going to give up now. When was he going to get another chance to escape like this again?

He looked around for a sharp object he could use to cut himself free. He could try the galley but he couldn't reach it. The gear room was also too far. The only room that was close enough to where he was tied was the bathroom, but it appeared to be that all sharp objects were removed.

He sat down on the ground out of options. He choked back a sob and rested his head on his knees. He was a hostage, being kept against his will by the Seablite Gang. He began to cry. Without hope what could he possibly do? They gave no inclinations as to when they were going to let him go, if they planned to let him go.

When the outlaws returned, it was a few hours later. Ty was lying on his side, staring dried eyed at the wall. His left hand was tingling now and they couldn't care less. They were all in high spirits and smelled of alcohol. Why the only place that people could get those types of drinks that he could think of was the Trade Station. There was a bar in the lowest levels of the Station. At least they were still in the area. There was now a sliver of hope.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Age six.

Ma was pregnant with Ty's baby sister. As her belly continued to grow, she couldn't go outside to do chores since swimming around might harm the baby. So Pa took Ty outside to do chores, but now they were inside the house today, sitting in the living room.

The baby was coming today. Pa paced nervously while rubbing his hands together. Their neighbours, Lars and Shurl and their three year old son Hewitt, were over. Shurl was helping deliver the baby. Ty was sitting on the couch, looking up at Pa. He was never worried about anything, but apparently this new baby was worth worrying over.

"Pa, when's the baby coming?" he asked and pulled his feet away from Hewitt who was trying to pull off his socks.

"Soon, Ty," he answered, "very soon." He sat down, hands on his knees.

Ma moaned from the other side of the room. Ty jumped off the couch and tried to run to her, but Pa stopped him before he could get very far.

"Stay here, Ty," his father said sternly.

Ty turned around the sat back on the couch. "What's happening with Ma?"

"The baby is coming. Your sister will be here soon."

"Ma sounds like she's hurting."

Pa nodded. "It does hurt. but it'll be over soon."

Ty sat down by Pa and waited with him. It was a very long time before Shurl came out.

"Your girl has a might strong pair of lungs, John," she announced with a smile on her face. Pa looked up, smiled and laughed. He jumped up from his seat and ran off to see Ma. Ty followed.

Ma was lying down on her bed. Her long dark hair was sweaty and pulled back from her face. In her arms was a bundle of blankets. The bundle squirmed. Ty jumped back.

"Ty," Ma said, sounding a little tired, "this is your baby sister, Zoe."

He took a step forward and looked down at the red and wrinkled face of his sister. She squirmed and flailed her tiny arms. Ma handed off the bundle off to Pa. She patted the bedside beside her. Ty jumped onto the bed and sat beside her.

"What do you think of your baby sister, Ty?" she asked and held his hand.

He wrinkled his nose. "Will she always be red?"

His mother laughed. It was a good sound. He loved it when Ma laughed. "No, sweety. She'll only be that red for a week or two, then she'll be the same colour as you."

He looked at the bundle that Pa was showing to Lars and Shurl. "Is she going to have to sleep in my room?"

Ma shook her head. "She'll be sleeping in our room until she's big enough to sleep in her own room. You'll still have your own room, okay?"

Ty nodded and smiled. Ma held out her arms and he leaned into her arms. "I love you so much," she whispered and kissed the top of his head.

He buried into her arms and hugged her back. "I love you too, Ma."

* * *

><p>Ty couldn't sleep. He was having nightmares again. He hated it when they came. There was nothing he could do about them either. There was no way to stop them or prevent them from happening. He was going to have to live with them forever but that wasn't what he wanted.<p>

Then someone screamed. At first there were quiet 'nos' and other pleas, but then it came to a full out scream. It seemed like he wasn't the only one of this sub that couldn't sleep well. When the scream subsided, two figures descended the ladder. Sending out a wave of clicks, he made them out to be Pretty and Shade. They sat at the table. Ty pretended to be sleeping.

First they sat in silence. Pretty sniffled and folded cross his arms over his chest. Shade was patient at first. He folded his hands and waited for Pretty to start talking.

"Well?" Shade asked quietly.

"Well what?" Pretty retorted, sounding like the same Pretty as usual.

"You know it helps if you just talk about it. That's how we've doing it for the past what? Three years?"

"What's your point?"

Shade sighed. "Talking about it makes the others feel better. And you never talk about it."

"What's to talk about? It's the same thing we all suffer from."

"Needles and scalpels?" he guessed.

"And him," Pretty said and began to braid his hair. "It's always him."

"Always," he agreed. Shade stretched out and sighed in content. "Is that it then?"

Pretty nodded and tossed the braid over his shoulder. "You should've killed him," he said quietly.

Shade shook his head. "I'm not a murderer. None of us are. Besides, if I had murdered him, would it have taken away the nightmares, the pain he caused us?"

"It would've given me peace of mind that he wasn't going to try anything like that again."

"I made sure he wouldn't continue. That's good enough isn't it?"

"I guess so," Pretty said. "He's still out there, though."

Shade nodded. "Yes, he is, but it's not like he's going to try and find us. He knows next time we meet up he's not going to be so fortunate. Get some sleep. We've got a busy day tomorrow." Pretty nodded and clambered up the ladder.

Shade continued to lounge on the padded bench. Ty could see him staring down at him. He turned his head away and closed his eyes, eager to get a little more sleep in.

"Do you have nightmares, Guppy?" he asked softly. Ty shrugged, but he didn't know if Shade saw him. The outlaw stepped forward and slid down against the wall where Ty was laying.

Since he knew Shade wasn't fooled by his fake sleeping, Ty sat up and tucked his knees up to his chest. "Not always," he answered softly. He wasn't in a mood to talk to Shade, but it would take his mind off his own problems.

"Sorry if we woke you," Shade apologized. "The boys still get them every now and then."

"I wasn't sleeping." He shook his left wrist to try and get some blood flowing into his hand. "What are you going to do with me?" Those words were hard enough to get out.

The outlaw turned his head, his face an unreadable mask. He shrugged. "Nothing yet. It's coming pretty close to ransom."

Ty nodded and took in a deep breath. Ransom was the best option instead of something else. Maybe he would go home soon. That was all he wanted. It wasn't like he was causing any trouble for the outlaws. All he did was sit in his corner and pretend that this was all a nightmare.

Shade didn't move. He looked deep in thought. Ty shook his hand again. The outlaw looked over at him.

"Something wrong, Guppy?" he asked.

"The rope… it's… it's too tight." Shade reached over and gripped Ty's arm. He loosened the rope surrounding his wrist. The blood flowed back into his hand with a tingling sensation that was horribly irritating. "Thanks," he mumbled and massaged his hand.

Shade nodded and rose to his feet. He walked back the ladder and disappeared into the berths.

It took a while for Ty to go back to sleep, but when he did he slept peacefully.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The _Specter_ was busy the next morning. Most of the Gang geared up in dive suits and darkened helmets. A fishing vessel was spotted nearby. They were all excited about it. Shade changed his skin to the usual white colour and his eyes the same black voids.

The youngest outlaw, whose name was Trilo, kept shouting out numbers to the outlaws who were preparing to dive.

"Go! Go! Go!" he shouted. The outlaws dived through the hatch and into the ocean.

Ty stood up and let his blanket drop to the ground. He went as far as the rope would allow him. The rope pulled at his arm as he peeked into the gear room. The weapons' pile was disorganized and gear sets were all over the floor. Didn't they know how to at least clean up after themselves? He would gladly to it for them if they would just untie him. He liked it when things were neat. Neat and in order.

"What are you doing?"

Ty whirled around and saw Pretty. He stayed behind with Trilo. His hand rested on the hilt of his knife.

"I… I was just stretching." He took a few steps back to his corner. "Just stretching," he repeated.

Pretty seemed satisfied with that answer and moved on. Ty took in a deep breath and sat down again. Pretty wasn't a very sociable guy. Best to stay out of his way in the future.

The outlaws returned with smiles on their faces and bags filled with oysters, large oysters. They whooped and cheered. It was a big haul for them. A large haul mean that they had to stop by somewhere to sell them, a black market or something like that. That meant another chance to escape.

They were all happy around the dinner table that day. They swapped their sides of the theft as they ate that fish stew again. Ty couldn't believe what he was hearing. They were laughing at the other's misfortune, the people they stole from. He didn't like their attitude towards it. Stealing was wrong. Ma and Pa taught him that when he was young enough. You should never steal from anyone no matter what situation you were in. Obliviously the outlaws didn't follow those rules.

* * *

><p>Shade was always the last one to fall asleep. He was either in the front of the sub, making sure it was going in the right direction, or in was in the back of the sub making sure everything was running well for the long night ahead. Ty usually sat up in his corner thinking about an escape plan.<p>

This time Shade was leaning against the table with his arms crossed over his chest. "I'm not the monster you think I am," he said quietly.

Ty held his injured arm which was becoming stiffer with each passing day. "What do you mean by that?"

"The look you had on your face at dinner clearly said you were disgusted with us. The stories we told at dinner disturbed you. I wasn't always like this."

"As if that's supposed to mean something to me," he said and pointed to myself. "How can I trust your word as an outlaw?"

"I wasn't always an outlaw, Guppy," he explained and sauntered over to where he was sitting.

"And how can I trust you? How do I know what you're saying is true?"

"Because now I'm Richard Straid, an actually trust worthy person."

Ty leaned his head against the wall. "What's the difference?"

"The difference?" Shade settled himself onto the ground. "The difference is that Richard can actually be trusted. He cares about people. Shade is the one you can't trust. He's the thief and scoundrel that everybody hates. You can't take his word but you can take Richard's word."

Ty shifted in his seat and picked at the blanket. He looked up and met the outlaw's gaze. "What were you?"

Shade shrugged. "I was once like you, a good boy. I had a sister."

"Gemma," he blurted out. "I know her."

Shade raised an eyebrow. "Do you?"

He nodded. "Met her on a sub while I was out exploring. She's looking for you."

The outlaw shook his head. "That girl is as stubborn as me. When we let you go, tell her to give up her search. Her brother is practically non-existent." He rubbed his forehead before continuing. "She was my little sister. I took care of her when we lived in the boarding home. Then Ms. Spinner-" the name sounded like the worst thing he could say- "shipped me off to a correctional facility."

"What did you do?"

"The worst crime of all when you live Topside, stealing space. The only thing she didn't tell me was that the facility was on the bottom of the ocean. Our name Seablite came from the prison we were locked up in. Four years I was stuck in that hellhole until we busted out, not without getting a few battle scars first." Shade's skin lightened until he was pale but not albino. There was a raised scar on his head in the shape of a rectangle. Like someone had cut a flap to look at his brain.

Ty felt sick when he saw that scar. Shade was operated on but for what purpose?

"Can you guess why they did this?" Ty shook his head. "Because a doctor by the name of Metzger wanted to put the theory of Dark Gifts to the test."

"Dark Gifts aren't real," Ty said, more to convince himself than anyone else.

"Aren't they?" To prove his point, Shade changed back to dark skin and tattooed version he was usually in when his temper got the better of him. "Everyone on the _Specter _has a Dark Gift. To Doc Metzger, we were just a bunch of orphaned lab rats. And what did we get out of the deal while we were in Seablite?"

Ty was silent.

"Noting. Not even schooling. When we broke out, we tried to make it Topside. The others of the prison dispersed and tried to fit in with society again, a few of them even went subsea to start a new life. After six months, I couldn't take it anymore. Too many people were staring at me. Met up with a few of the others and they had the same problem. After a few years in Seablite, we didn't have many social skills left. We banded together and lived subsea ever since."

"When did you start robbing everything?"

"Almost a year ago. We were all hurting pretty badly for what the government did to us so we decided to hurt them."

"But why rob from settlers? My parents worked hard for what they have now."

"Listen, kid, you don't want to be working for the 'wealth. They'll only use you and throw you to the side when they're done with you." Shade stood up and stretched. "Don't be ashamed of your Gift. Flaunt it for all its worth. It's the reason why the 'wealth can't catch us." He left Ty with that last bit of advice.

"I don't have a Gift."

Shade laughed. "You keep thinking that."

Ty lay down against the wall. He was always ashamed of his Gift ever since he found out he had one. He'll never forget the day when his parents took him Topside. He stayed there for months while a team of doctors probed him and strapped him down for tests.

He shivered and covered up a cough. It was going to be a long time before he fell asleep tonight.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Age nine.

Ty was lying on his bed when he noticed something. He could see his room with his eyes closed. He didn't understand how he could until he clicked. He made a short click in the back of his throat that vibrated and bounced off the objects in his room, creating for him a picture behind his eyelids.

"Ma!" he cried out. "Come here quick!"

He sent out more clicks as he waited for his mother. The picture was sharper and clearer with the more clicks he sent out.

"What's wrong, Ty?" his Ma asked as she stepped into the room.

"I can see my room with my eyes closed." He proved his point by saying everything he saw with his eyes. Where Ma was standing, where the dresser was, desk was, books for home schooling, and anything else he could see.

When he opened his eyes, smiling, Ma's face was white. She rushed to his side and laid a cooling hand on his forehead, feeling for a fever. "You stay in bed for now, okay?" Ma rose and walked towards the door. "I'm going to talk to your father for a minute so just stay in bed for now."

Ty lay back down on his bed and closed his eyes again. What was Ma so worried about? This was a momentous day! He could see with his eyes closed!

Sending out more clicks, he enjoyed the time he could see his room. He should try this when he has to go out and do his chores. He wouldn't even have to use his crown lights ever again!

Late in the morning, Ty knew something was wrong. Pa loaded up the Slicky for what seemed like a long trip. Pa _never _did that. He never went away from long trips. The farm needed him.

Ma held three year old Zoe in her arms as she clutched the toy shark in her meaty toddler hands. No one was wearing dive skins. Ma put on her best dress, the kind she wears when she has to go Topside for something. Ty was wearing regular clothes as well, just like he was told to put on. Seated in the Slicky, Pa started the sub and took it out of the moon pool. It wouldn't take that long to reach Topside the speed Pa was zooming by at.

"Ma," he asked, "where are we going?"

"We have to go to the Topside for a while, sweety," she answered and smiled. "There's nothing to worry about."

Obviously there was something to worry about since Ma didn't really answer his question. Oh well, it's an excuse to get out of chores.

Pa docked the Slicky and took Ty's hand. They walked past the market stalls with everyone haggling for the best price of fish. Market days were always packed with people. Ty kept a firm grip on Pa's hand, knowing that if he were to let go, he'd become lost in the crowds of the market. Ma kept pace with Pa the whole time while carrying Zoe.

They walked to the hospital from there. It was a long walk and a lot of people were walking, all covered in various colours of zinc paste. The buildings were tall and box like with hundreds of windows with darkened glass to keep out the harmful UV rays. The hospital was built the same way. Big and box like. No imagination in Topside buildings, not like the buildings Pa and Ma designed.

Pa walked up to the front desk and talked to the nurse who was sorting paper work behind it. He spoke briefly and in a serious tone. The nurse eyed Ty up and down. She spoke to Pa, but Pa kept saying that the matter was urgent. Then the nurse said she would see what could do. She left.

Pa sat Ty down on a chair and waited. Ma kept Zoe entertained with a children's book on a nearby table. They waited for a very long time. Ten minutes, twenty minutes, a half hour? What was so important that Pa would wait half an hour for a doctor? Didn't they have to harvest kelp today?

"The doctor will see you know," the nurse said and smiled. Pa stood up and gripped Ty's hand. They followed the nurse to a small examination room.

The doctor shook Pa's hand and asked him a series of questions. Pa did his best to answer all of them. The doctor asked him to wait outside. There was only enough room for Ty and the doctor.

Ty jumped up onto the examination table that had paper on it. It crinkled beneath him. First the doctor preformed simple tests on him, checking his reflexes, shining a light in his eyes and ears, listening to his breathing and heart, and lastly checking his throat.

"Now, say 'ahhhhh'," the doctor asked as he pressed a wooden stick against his tongue and looked into the back of his throat with a flash light.

"Ahhhhhhhhh."

"Hmm. There seems to be nothing wrong back there." The doctor threw the stick into the garbage can and turned off the flashlight. "Can you explain to me what you did this morning?"

Ty nodded enthusiastically. "I was lying in bed with my eyes closed and then I made a click in the back of my throat. Then I could see my room."

The doctor stroked his chin then placed his hands on Ty's throat. "Can you perform the clicking sound for me?" Ty complied. He sent out many clicks and closed his eyes to enjoy the situation even more. "Okay, that's enough." Ty stopped clicking and opened his eyes. The doctor stuffed his hands in the pockets of his white coat. "Now, you stay here while I talk to your parents." He left the small room and closed the door behind him.

Ty occupied himself by looking at the pictures and diagrams on the walls. There were words about how to protect yourself from germs and diseases and all that happy stuff.

When the doctor returned, he wasn't alone. A team of assistants was with him.

"Alright, everybody, this is Ty and he is nine so be careful," the doctor explained and held out a hand encased in a rubber glove. "Come with me, Ty, we have some tests to perform." Ty jumped off the bed, but didn't take the doctor's hand. Why should he?

The led him into a larger room with a gurney. He sat on it like they asked him to. One of the assistants removed his socks and shoes and another removed his shirt. They started preforming their tests. Same as the ones before but everything was written down on clipboards. Then he was asked to lie flat on his back. He did.

"Pull the straps on," the doctor directed. Two straps were buckled over Ty to hold him down, one over his chest and the other over his legs. That was when he started to panic. He thrashed about on the bed, asking them to let him go. They tried to quiet him down, but to no avail. The gurney started moving. He couldn't see where he was going.

"Where are you taking him?" he heard Pa demand. "He's my son! Let him go!"

"We are simply preforming more tests, sir. This is all to help your son," the doctor explained.

"Pa!" Ty screamed out and struggled against the straps. "Pa, help me!" The gurney kept wheeling down the corridor.

"What are you doing to my son?" Ma cried out.

"This is for his own good," the doctor said.

"Ma!" he cried out. "Ma!" He was wheeled into another room and the pleas of his parents were silenced.

A gas masked hovered, a sight that would haunt him for years to come. He tried to turn away from it but it was all futile. The gas mask covered his mouth and nose. Foul gas pierced his lungs as hot tears dripped down the sides of his face. He closed his eyes.

* * *

><p>There was something wrong. Ty woke up shivering and not from nightmares. He shook violently as he curled up into a ball to conserve body heat. Something was wrong. He could barely move. His stomach twisted into knots as he felt the bile rise in his throat.<p>

Crawling to the bathroom, he gripped the sides of the toilet and heaved the contents of his stomach into the bowl. He flushed the toilet and collapsed on the cold metal floor with the rope tugging his wrist. He had no strength left to move. He stayed there where the outlaws found him the next morning.

"What's he doing?" Kale, the outlaw with the scar on his cheek, asked.

"Hey, Guppy," Eel said and prodded him with his foot. "Get up."

Ty's eyes fluttered open. He coughed and couldn't stop.

"Get Shade," Eel said.

"Shade!" Kale yelled from afar. "Come quick! It's Guppy!"

Ty looked around. Where was he? This wasn't home. What was going on?

A cool hand pressed against his forehead, cool and soothing like Ma's. He coughed some more.

"Get him out of there," Shade said. "Untie him, too."

Ty was lifted off the ground and rope was removed from his hand. He was wrapped up in his blanket and set down on a padded bench.

"What's wrong with him?" Eel asked.

Shade kneeled beside him. Ty felt the t-shirt pulled down to expose his injured shoulder. The bandages were untied and pulled away, revealing a swollen and infected patch of skin. He whimpered when he saw it. That did not look normal.

Shade swore. "It's infected badly." He lightly touched the wound. Ty pulled away and groaned.

"What should we do?"

"Does it look like I'm a doctor?" Shade barked. "Put him in my berth for now and keep him warm. He has a fever."

He was lifted once again from the padded bench. They tried not to jostle him that much as they lifted him up into the sleeping quarters. He was set down in a berth compartment and covered in blankets all the while he continued to shiver. The fever consumed him, burning him on the inside and making him cold on the outside. There was nothing he could do but sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Age nine, continued.

Ty has lost count of the number of days he's been here. Was it months now? And all the while he has been cooped up in this small (tiny) room. The cot took up most of the space. Through a narrow doorway there was the bathroom. The door was always locked. They didn't want him leaving.

They've poked and prodded him as much as he would like. Every inch of him was touched and examined. He's been through dozens of CAT scanners and brain tests. They all asked him to click for them so that they could continue to study him and figure out what this all meant.

Recently, he ha discovered the best way to deal with those doctors and people in masks. He simply said he couldn't do it. That's right. He lied to all the medical professors that have wanted to study him. He just couldn't do it anymore. When he clicked, the brain scans picked up movement in parts of his brain that in normal humans wouldn't be active. Vice versa when he didn't do it. The doctors were baffled.

He has seen Ma and Pa once since the doctors took him away. They were at a court house that day. When he saw his parents, he jerked free of the nurse's grasp and jumped into Ma's comforting arms before he was pulled away. They were trying to get the hospital to release him. They've been trying for months to get him back.

The doctors haven't tried touching him since Ma and Pa took them to court. The trial should be ending soon then he could leave and go back home to the subsea. He could forget about all of this and continue on with his happy little life.

A key rattled in the lock. He looked up when the door opened.

"Ty?" It was Ma.

"Ma!" he cried and jumped into her arms. He hugged her tightly like she would be ripped away from him again. He started to cry as she stroked his hair softly and kissed his head.

"You're coming home," Pa said and squeezed his shoulder. "We're all going home now."

Pa picked him up and carried him out of the hospital, away from the smell of antiseptic, away from the doctors, away from everything. Ty didn't let go of him even for one second. There was no way he was going back there.

It has been a while since he's seen his parents. Ma looks tired and Pa looks like he's aged five years. He buried his face into Pa's shirt and breathed in deeply. The smell of the ocean flooded his nose, reminding him of home.

The Trade Station was a sight for sore eyes. The smell of fish drying in the sun, people haggling for prices, and the salty smell all around them was where he belonged. Safely buckled into the Slicky, Ma's arms circled him and held him close. A sense of longing washed over him. He choked back his tears as the bubble fence came closer. Just a little longer and he would be home.

The Slicky passed through the bubble fence. Schools of fish swam past and avoided the Slicky. The kelp fields fluttered as it passed overhead. The jellyfish home glowed. Ty's heart fluttered. He pinched himself just to be sure this wasn't another dream.

The Slicky was parked in the moon pool. Ty unbuckled quickly and bounded out of the Slicky and onto the edge of the moon pool. He ran into the living room and circled around. Everything was the same. Nothing was changed, nothing was gone. He collapsed onto a couch and stared out the windows. The hum of generators and air purifiers calmed him. Ma touched his arm. He jerked at first but then saw who it was.

"I missed you," he said quietly and leaned into his mother's arms.

She kissed his cheek. "You're not going anywhere. You're safe here."

* * *

><p>"Ma," he whispered. A cool cloth pressed against his forehead again. Maybe he caught the flu from Zoe. It has happened before. "Ma."<p>

"How is he, Pretty?" Shade asked.

"It's been two days," he answered. "He's not getting any better. He doesn't recognize anyone anymore. He barely eats; it's hard enough to get water down his throat."

He felt someone's hand on his face. Fingers opened one sticky eye. All he could see were blurs. Was it Pa? He'd probably get Doc to make a house call and check him out.

"Pa," he whispered and turned his head from side to side.

No matter what anyone tried, the fever continued to burn through him. As soon as a cloth was placed on his forehead, it would heat up. They tried to get food down him, but it never stayed down in him for long. It would come back up a few hours later. A bucket was by his head and someone always helped him to lean over the bucket. Water wasn't as hard, but he didn't have a lot of strength left in him to choke down even a few mouthfuls.

Someone was trying to feed him some plain fish broth currently. It took too much effort to even open his eyes so he couldn't tell who was trying to feed him. The spoon pressed down on his lower lip. He responded by opening his mouth and letting the little bit of broth slip into his mouth. He swallowed and felt the spoon press down again. He turned his head to the side. The lukewarm broth spilled down his cheek. Someone cursed and flicked off the bits of broth on his cheek. The person turned his head and stuck another spoonful of broth into his mouth. He swallowed and fell asleep once more.

When he woke, people were talking around him. Who was here? Did his condition attract the attention of the entire Territory? No, he wasn't at home. His hand brushed a wall and his bed wasn't as big. If he wasn't home, where was he?

He struggled to open his eyes and try to see his surroundings. His body didn't exactly respond to him. He sent out clicks instead. It definitely wasn't home. There were double decker berths. He was on one close to the ground. Two people were talking and looking down at him, concerned, he thought.

"He has to have medical treatment," Pretty said. "I don't think any home remedies will work on him."

"I'm not bringing him Topside," Shade said, a final decision. "Or to any other doctor. They could do something to him."

"Well then where do we take him? We seem to be running low on doctors."

Shade shifted his weight from foot to foot. "We could always drop by Lottie's," he suggested. "She'll know what to do and we can fix up the _Specter _while he's resting."

"And not to mention the last time we showed up when she almost shot Kale." Pretty shook his head. "If it's the only way." The voices faded. They left and he slept.

The next few hours were a blur. The pattern was always the same. Wake up shivering, have someone force water down your throat, murmur something intelligibly, and go back to sleep. It was a never ending cycle between pain and hallucinations. People hovered over him, talking about things he couldn't make sense of. Doc should be coming soon and make him better. Ma's home remedies weren't working. He didn't want Doc to come, but if he wasn't seen by someone, his parents would resort to taking him to a Topside hospital. That was out of the question. No way was he going back there.

Then he was picked up. Pa must be taking him to the Slicky. No, no, no this couldn't be happening.

"Let me go," he croaked and thrashed out of Pa's grip.

"The Guppy's got some strength left in him," Hatchet said and tightened his grip. His last ounce of strength was gone. He lay limp in Hatchet's arms.

They carried him out of the _Specter. _Two people were arguing. He caught most of what they said.

"You have some nerve showing your face around here," a woman said. "The last time you boys were here, my house nearly sank!"

"We fixed the leak didn't we?" Shade argued. "Besides, we wouldn't have come if it weren't as important as this."

"Whatever it is, take your business elsewhere."

"Lottie, please."

The woman, Lottie, sighed. "What is it?"

"Hatchet, bring him here."

Hatchet carried Ty forward. He opened his eyes weakly and saw the face of a woman standing with her hands on her hips.'

"What did you do to him?" she asked.

"He was being nosy," Pretty answered. "What were we supposed to do?"

"You could've at least tried to take care of him!" Lottie hollered. "Bring him inside and set him down on the table. And don't touch anything while you're in there!"

"Yes, ma'am," Eel said.

Ty was set down on a table. A light was turned on overhead. The blankets were taken away, leaving him cold and shivering on the table.

"So what exactly happened?" she asked.

"Shot him with a harpoon," Shade answered simply. "Don't give me that look; you would have done the same thing. Right shoulder."

"Thanks." They stripped him of his t-shirt. Oh no, did Pa take him to the hospital? He reached out with his good hand and tried to sit up only to be pushed back down again.

"You didn't do anything to clean his wound did you?" she asked.

"Does it look like any of us are doctors? We bandaged it didn't we?"

"Yes, you did do that, but you didn't clean the wound. I wouldn't exactly call the _Specter _sanitary." Lottie fingered his wound and clicked her tongue. "I have to clean out the whole wound. I'll be right back just keep the boys out of my stuff."

"You heard the lady, boys," Shade said. "The _Specter _needs work to be done. Move it out."

With a lot of stomping, the outlaws left the room. Only Shade remained.

Lottie returned with all the tools she needed. She opened Ty's mouth and stuck something rubber into him. "Bite down on this when it hurts," she said. "Hold him up, Shade." The outlaw's arm surrounded him and held him upright. Lottie took out a spray bottle and began to spray the wound. Ty bit down on the rubber gag as the liquid stung his shoulder. She continued to spray whatever was in the bottle.

"You're lucky you brought him to me when you did," she said. "A day longer and the infection might've gone too far."

"You can heal him right?" Shade asked.

"Of course I can. I just have to flush out the entire wound and then stitch it up. He'll have to stay here for a few days though. Just so I can watch over his condition. Plan for a long visit?"

Shade shrugged. "We have some repairs to do on the _Specter _so we'll stay for a day or two."

"That should be good enough." She stopped spraying and took out an antiseptic swab. She washed the opening of the wound first then worked her way further into his shoulder. Ty bit down harder on the gag and gripped the side of the table.

"He's a bit young to be in your gang isn't he?" she asked.

"He's not in Seablite. He's just a kid who got a little too close for comfort. I thought he would get out of the way in time, but he didn't so now we're here. He's a pioneer's kid."

"A _pioneer_? Out of everybody in the ocean you had to shoot this kid. You haven't changed a bit now have you?"

"Did you want me to?"

"You wouldn't have changed anyways." The swab was jammed further into his shoulder. He bit down all the harder and dug his nails into his palm to at least get his mind off the pain in his shoulder.

"Alright, this side is clean," she announced. "You can set him down now." Shade set Ty down on his back and gave him a reassuring pat on the head.

She flushed out the other side of his arm and repeated the process with a clean swab. When all was done, she wrapped his shoulder tightly and removed the rubber gag.

"The kid's strong," she said. "Take him to the spare room. He'll be safe in there."

Shade nodded and scooped him up off the table. A large crash came from the other room then laughter. "Don't worry," Shade said quickly. "I'll deal with them."

"You better," she warned. "My patience grows thin."

Ty was carried away and set down on a soft bed. The blankets were piled on, the light was turned off. The sound of the air purifiers gave him a sense of safety. Was he home again? Well, wherever he was, he knew he was going to be okay.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Ty woke again, feeling more like himself than he had in days. The fever was almost gone. He still shivered a bit, but at least in wasn't incapacitating. He sat up on the bed and looked around. The room was about the same size as the rooms they had in the Trade Station. His injured arm was resting in a sling. It felt much better.

Slowly he got to his feet. He was still a little unsteady on his feet, but he was determined to make it. He took a few steps forward. The carpet tickled his bare feet. Where was he again? Let's see, what did he remember from yesterday? He was sick. His shoulder was infected. He remembered that much.

He took a few steps down the hall. It was quiet out. He didn't hear anyone up. A few steps more and he was in the living room with a large window that opened up to the ocean. He used the wall to support himself and pressed his palm on the window and looked out into the ocean. He has missed this sight. All he got to stare at was a table or a wall. Neither was interesting.

"You're up."

He turned around and saw a woman looking at him. Did he know her?

"Who-"

"I'm Lottie," she said and sat down on one of the couches. "I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't remember me. You were far gone when they brought you here."

"You did this?" He pointed to the sling.

She nodded. "Couldn't exactly let you go without taking a look at that shoulder of yours. Shade's Gang doesn't have many medical skills except stitching up their own wounds from time to time."

Ty sat down on the other end of the couch. "How do you know them?"

"The Seablite Gang?" He nodded. "I run a small fishing company around the area here. I employ anybody who's useful to me. If you're not cut out for the job, you won't make it out here. Shade came looking for a job a few years back as did a few others in his Gang. I employed them. They weren't the people they are today when I first met them. They were boys. Scared, little boys who didn't know what to do Topside or how to make it subsea. They were stuck between two worlds, one they didn't want to live in and the other they didn't know _how _to live in. Follow me, kid?" Ty nodded and she continued the story.

"They had the spirit to live subsea they just didn't know how. The other employees taught them some stuff. Most of it was bad news since that's why they are what they are today. After a while, I saw how bitter they all were. They were all hurting and just wanted to make the pain go away. I showed them the _Specter _and told them my idea. They could do whatever they wanted with her as long as they did a few jobs for me."

"You turned them into outlaws?" he said. "Do you even know what they do?"

"Yes." She didn't sound surprised. "I've got no love for the 'wealth. They stabbed me in the back once and I'm just trying to get even."

"That's called revenge," he pointed out.

Lottie shook her head. "It's called justice, kid. I just do it to make things right for the people down here. We've worked too hard for it and they barely give us anything in return for all of our hard work. The Seablite Gang just wants to get even after years of hurt. Can you deny them the justice that they deserve?"

Ty looked down at the carpet. He couldn't say anything about it. A few days ago he learned about what happened to them, how they were experimented on and tortured so a doctor could learn about Dark Gifts. Wasn't that wrongful of him to experiment on boys? But wasn't it also wrongful for them to steal from hard working people? Nothing made sense anymore.

"Don't know what to say now do you?" she asked and smirked. "Here's my advice, kid, don't judge a book by its cover. You may be surprised about what you find out on the inside."

Ty nodded slightly. He understood what she meant. There was more than meets the eye when it comes to the Seablite Gang. He coughed and covered it up with his hand. Lottie looked concerned. She leaned over and placed her hand on his forehead.

"You're still running a bit of a fever," she said. "You best get back to bed and get some rest." He nodded and pounded his chest to clear out some of the congestion. He stood up slowly and walked back to the room where he crawled back under the blankets and fell asleep.

The next day was the day he left. He was up and walking long before the Seablite Gang arrived. Lottie said they had some "business" to attend to. Ty knew what kind of business she was talking about.

His appetite returned and she had good food in the house. He ate whatever was set down in front of him. And she wasn't that bad of cook either. She checked his shoulder one last time.

"Just keep the sling on for a few days yet and it should be fine within a week," she explained and tied the ends of the bandage together.

"Thanks," he said and pulled on his shirt.

"If you're worried about them," she said softly, "they'll let you go. They won't harm you."

"How do you know?"

She leaned against the island in the kitchen. "Most of them are harmless. The only one you have to watch out for is Pretty. But if you keep your distance, you'll be fine." Ty nodded and ate the last bits of the food sitting before him.

* * *

><p>The Seablite Gang returned sometime in the afternoon. Ty waited by the moon pool as the <em>Specter <em>rose. The hatch near the dorsal fin opened up. Shade jumped out and onto the outer rim of the Moon pool. Dressed in a shark skin vest and dark pants, the outlaw pulled out a small wad of cash and handed it to Lottie.

"For your troubles," he said. "And for helping the kid out."

"No problem," she said. "Good to see you again."

Shade dipped his head as if to say 'you too'. He gripped Ty's arm and led him back onto the _Specter _and back into a living nightmare.

Ty stood in the rec room and stared at the white rope that was still tied to the pipe with that complicated and unsolvable knot. The other end of the rope seemed to taunt him. He stared at it and it stared at him. He looked down at his wrist and knew that in any moment there would be a coil of white around it.

Shade turned him to face him. "I won't tie you up as long as you do what you're told," he said in a warning tone. "You're still a hostage on this sub. If you do anything that harms any of the crew or puts the whole sub in danger, you'll wish you've never been born. Understand?" Ty nodded mutely. "You'll be sleeping on one of the padded benches here. And I won't have you sitting around all day. You'll be expected to earn your keep here."

"What do you expect me to do?" he asked.

Shade shrugged. "I don't know. Something as long as it's useful and benefits us all. Understand, Guppy?" He nodded again. Shade, who seemed satisfied, left the rec room.

Ty sat down on a padded bench. It was wide enough to sleep on so he wouldn't have to worry about rolling off in the middle of the night. He slid back into the corner and pulled his knees up to his chest. At least he was in a better situation than he was in a few days ago. He wasn't tied up anymore and his shoulder no longer ached. Maybe the outlaws weren't as mean as they seemed.

The first task he was given was to wash dishes in the galley. That's right. He was reduced to a dish boy. He removed his sling and set it down on the narrow counter space. The outlaws dropped off their dishes and retired to the rec room for some fun and games. He did what he was supposed to and washed the dishes, stacking them away in the cupboards. When he was done, he put his sling back on and took a seat in the rec room.

The outlaws' ideas of fun was throwing knives at the dart board, practicing knife fights, cleaning and repairing weapons, and using the punching bag. Hatchet was going at it on the punching bag. The man was strong. Muscles bulging, teeth barring with every punch, Ty couldn't help but think of himself being that punching bag. Bruises forming, bones cracking. He shuddered and shoved that thought away. Trilo and Kale were repairing harpoon guns on the table. Eel and Pretty were having a knife fight, both experts in avoiding each other's slashes.

Okay. So maybe this wasn't what Ty had in mind for an after dinner activity, but they enjoyed themselves. As long as they left him alone, he was fine.

Shade stopped by and gave them the plan for tomorrow. A government supply ship was nearby and they would hit it sometime tomorrow. The Gang cheered and whooped as they prepared for tomorrow. Shade tossed Ty a blanket and walked off.

As he settled down for the night, Ty felt a sense of belonging here. They didn't glare at him anymore; give him threatening glances from afar. They had a grudging respect for him, all because he was their dish boy. For the first time in a long time, he didn't miss home.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Age thirteen.

Ma and Pa were gone to a town meeting. Several of the children from around the Territory were at Ty's house. He was the oldest kid in the Territory so everyone trusted in him to make sure their kids would remain safe.

It's been four years since his ordeal at the hospital and he's never been quite the same. Nightmares come and go as they please. He was ashamed of his gift. It caused him much pain and he was afraid that if his parents found out that it didn't go away, they would move away from Benthic Territory and move Topside. He couldn't let that happen.

His seven year old sister Zoe and Hewitt were in the kitchen. Zoe was having Hewitt guess the various temperatures of water from the sink with dipping in one finger. Hewitt always got it spot on. They always played with their Gifts and had fun with them no matter how many times he told them not to play with them. He kept looking over the reading assignment that he had for homework. He ignored the others around the room.

They all ran around and played with each other, showing off their Gifts and deciding whose was the best. Hewitt had a Gift to determine the temperatures of water, water pressure and many other things that no human could determine without a lot of scientific tools. Zoe had a powerful electric shock like an electric eel. Another girl could withstand cold temperatures. Another boy could dive deep and not be affected by the water pressure. The possibilities were endless.

"That's enough!" he said and through down his school work. The kids quieted down and looked up at him. "Don't you guys understand? Our Gifts aren't something to be proud of! If our parents found out what we are, we'll all move to Topside and be given to the hospitals to be experimented on. You want to know what I got up there? This." He pulled down the collar of his shirt, exposing a thin, silver line at the base of his throat that he usually covered up. He has never showed it to anyone, the scar he received from the doctors.

"Hide your Gifts," he said and readjusted his shirt. "It's not something you should be proud to have." He picked up his book and disappeared into this room, closing the door firmly behind him. He threw the book down on his bed and sat down at his desk where he started to clean a crown he found out in the ocean a few days ago. Cleaning valuable treasures usually got his mind off his troubles. He traced the surgical scar on his throat and took in a shuddering breath. He began to scrape off the bits of mud and crust off the crown revealing gold.

His message got through to the other kids of the Territory. They hid their Gifts and became ashamed that they ever had them.

* * *

><p>It's been a week since the <em>Specter <em>left Lottie's. The time has passed by so quickly that Ty hasn't given it a second thought. He was practically the outlaws' equal. Almost. He was still their dish boy and slept on a padded bench, but other than that he was one of them. Not entirely an outlaw but he was still with them and it no longer bothered him. It was a strange feeling, but he now understood why they did what they did.

With his shoulder healed, he could do more. He organized the gear room. That took a very long time to complete. First he had to figure out where everything was supposed to be then he had to pull everything out and reorganize it all. He only finished today. Shade was proud they hadn't left him behind to die. He kept saying that to Pretty, who was the one who suggested they should leave him behind. Pretty would only roll his eyes and walk away.

They let him eat at the table with them now, no longer eating after they ate. He didn't take up much room and kept quiet while they talked. He only responded if he absolutely had to.

"You got a Gift, Guppy?" Kale asked.

Ty nodded and stared down at his food. "Yeah, I've got one." He looked up at Shade for a moment. He just sat there with his arms crossed over his chest. "It's echolocation or biosonar. I make these clicks in the back of my throat and they bounce off any nearby objects and come back to me so I can create a mental picture in my mind of my surroundings."

The outlaws nodded and began to explain their own useful Gifts. It was clear that they were proud of their Gifts unlike him.

"Shade's is probably that most impressive since you can actually see his," Eel explained. "But we wouldn't be as successful without all of our gifts. Mine is electromagnetic pulse. I'm the reason why the lights go out when we pass over."

"You think you're so high and mighty," Hatchet muttered and barred his teeth. "I'm the muscles behind the Gang here."

"Like the shark he resembles, he's got the strength of a Bull Shark," Kale said.

"And the brain capacity," Trilo said quietly. The outlaws laughed at Hatchet and stared back at Trilo and kicked him under the table.

"What about you, Kale?" Ty asked. "What's your gift?"

"Heightened senses," he said and relaxed against the padded backing of the bench. "I can see better, smell better, and hear further than any other human." Ty looked in Trilo's direction. The young outlaw's eyes glowed radioactive green as he fingered one of the many charms he wore around his neck.

"I see in thermal vision. I can turn it on and off like a switch. It comes in handy when your crown lights don't work," he said and gripped one of the charms.

The only person left to explain about their Gift was Pretty, but he wasn't exactly the talking type of person. Eel filled in for him.

"Hypnotism," Eel said. "Pretty's Gift can put you into a trance."

Ty looked at Pretty and almost wished he hadn't. The cold blue eyes stared back at him. Ty said nothing and looked away.

"Got any scars, Guppy?" Shade asked and leaned forward.

"You mean besides the one you gave me?" That earned a few laughs. "Yeah, I've got one." He looked down at the remnants of his food. "It's right here." He looked up and pulled down the collar of his shirt to expose his scar. The outlaws leaned in to get a closer look at it.

"When'd you get that one?" Eel asked.

"When I was nine," he explained. "I told my parents about what I could do and they didn't like that. They took me to the hospital and the doctors took it from there."

"Your own parents just gave you up?" Trilo asked.

"They brought me to the hospital because they cared about me. They didn't know that the doctors would test me and operate on me."

"Sounds like they really care about you," Pretty said, sarcasm dripping from his words. "Do they even know about your Gift?"

He shook his head. "They think it went away. They'll move Topside if they knew it came back."

"You're ashamed of your Gift aren't you?" Shade asked. Ty didn't say anything. "What's to be ashamed about?" Ty shrugged.

"Take it from the people who know it best," Hatchet said. "Your Gift is something to be proud about."

"Don't let anyone tell you different," Kale said. The outlaws all nodded.

Dinner was finished and the outlaws moved off. Kale patted Ty on the shoulder as he walked by. Only Shade remained.

"Are you okay, Guppy?" he asked.

Ty stood up and nodded. He cleared the table and began to wash the dishes and stack them away like he did every day. Shade passed by him but said nothing. Ty's had his fill of talking for the day. Too many memories uprooted that he would have preferred to keep rooted down.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Another week has passed. Ty didn't think much of home anymore. He enjoyed his time on the _Specter _even though it's been three weeks since he's last been in the ocean. Shade didn't exactly trust him to go out yet but maybe soon.

"Hey, Guppy."

Ty set down the last harpoon gun and looked over his shoulder. Shade stood near the hatchway dressed in his usual dark pants and shark skin vest. Tattooed once again Ty wondered what was going to happen.

"What is it?" he asked and coiled up a loose rope.

"Stopping by at the Trade Station. You interested?" In between two of the outlaw's fingers was a plastic card. Probably a fake ID.

"You're letting me come with you?" he said and took the fake ID from Shade's hands.

"Can't expect you to stay cooped up in here for the rest of your life now can I?" he asked. "So, you in?"

"What if people notice me?" he asked. "Half of the people in the Trade Station know my parents."

"Don't worry about it. You're looking at the man who's been evading the Sea Guard for almost a year and they're still looking for an albino. Stick with us and you'll be fine."

Ty looked down at the card again and smiled. He was finally allowed to leave the ship.

He pulled the cap down lower on his head and zipped up the thin jacket the outlaws gave him to disguise himself. He slipped into a borrowed pair of shoes and was prepared to leave the _Specter_. He climbed up the ladder and out of the hatch. The outlaws had already assembled themselves on the edge of the catwalk. Trilo closed the hatch securely before tapping in a command on a wrist watch. The _Specter _began to sink out of sight and back under the water.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"We can't exactly leave her out in the open," Eel said. "She's got a good sense of direction anyway. She'll come back."

"Alright then," Shade said. "Let's go."

Ty stuck close to the outlaws, trying not to draw attention to himself. Most of the people the Gang passed, Ty recognized. He checked the cap he wore and stuck his hands into the jacket pocket. They took the elevator down to the bar at the bottom of the Trade Station. The room was dimly lit and smelled of stale smoke and liquor. The Gang pushed their way to a back table large enough for them all to sit at. Ty took his seat and scanned the crowd for familiar faces. There was Mel and a few men from the Seacoach, but other than that none of his neighbours were present.

The drinks started to pour and the outlaws started to drink up. Ty and Trilo stayed out of the drinking, but enjoyed the time to relax. Shade leaned back in his chair, almost invisible against darkened glass of the bar. The tattoos were the perfect cover to blend in.

"Is it alright if I go walk around up top?" he asked Shade. "The fumes are making me a little sick."

Shade looked over and tipped back a shot glass. He shrugged. "Do what you want. We'll be leaving in an hour or so."

"Thanks." Ty stood up and weaved his way back through the crowd and towards the elevator.

Back out in the open, the clouds were gray and rumbled. It was going to rain soon. The fish market was closed so the docks were deserted, except for a few fishermen who were preparing to leave to go back to fishing.

He passed by a poster tacked onto a post. He glanced at it briefly but went back to take a closer look. The poster had a picture in the center, a picture of him. In clear bold print, the word 'Missing' was on the top of the piece of paper. Underneath was a picture of him, smiling lightly at the camera while sitting at his desk with a precious artifact in his hands. Underneath was the description of him.

Name: Ty Townson

Age: 15

Appearance: Slight in build, green eyes, dark brown hair, five foot nine in height

Last seen at the Peavey's residence. If found, please contact the Seaguard or John and Carolyn Townson.

The poster looked wrinkled from the sun and rain. It was torn in some places. Obviously it's been up for a long time.

"Excuse me," a man asked. Ty turned around and saw a man asking one of the fishermen some questions while holding a piece of paper in his hands. "Have you seen this boy? He's been missing for three weeks and-"

"Sorry," the fishermen interrupted. "I haven't seen him."

"Well, thank you for your time." The man turned around and began walking in Ty's direction. It was Pa. He looked like hadn't slept well in weeks. There were bags under his eyes and he looked much older than he should be. Gray hair could be seen mixed in with his dark hair. He held a few posters in his hands.

Ty turned around and pulled the cap down tightly. He was confused of what to do. Maybe a week ago he would've gone running to Pa but now he wasn't so sure of what he would do. Pa would ask questions about where he's been. Should he go back to the Seablite Gang or should he stay here and walk over to Pa?

He kept his head down and walked towards the elevator.

* * *

><p>The outlaws had finished their drinks and assembled back at the moon pool while waiting for the <em>Specter <em>to resurface. Ty stood at the back with his arms crossed over his chest. Shade took two steps back and stood beside him.

"Something bothering you?" he asked.

Ty shrugged. "I just want to get out of here." The _Specter _broke the surface of the water and the outlaws all clambered into it as quickly as they could. They had to leave so no one would see them.

Ty sunk down on a padded bench while the outlaws walked around him like he was still invisible. All he could think about was the look on his father's face. He looked so heartbroken, so defeated. The man lost his son and probably wouldn't stop hunting for him until he died. If that was what he looked like, then what about Ma? Zoe? How were they holding up?

Ty cleaned the gear room like he always did. Stacking harpoons, coiling ropes, folding dive suits, and refilling empty liquigen packs. The only time the outlaws called him was for dinner then it was onto dish washing. It was a cycle he would repeat as long as he was on this sub. Was it the cycle for him?

He couldn't fall asleep. He sat up on the padded bench with his head resting on his knees. The quiet hum of the artificial muscles relaxed him a bit like the air purifiers and the generators would back at home. What should he do? He missed his family but he wasn't sure if he should leave or not. Shade didn't exactly give him the all clear that he could leave.

He gave up thinking for the night and lay down on the bench. He might as well sleep on it and come up with a plan tomorrow.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

The spear slipped from his grasp and clattered to the ground, cutting his fingers. Ty cursed. He's been hanging around outlaws too long. He picked up the spear with his none bloody hand and put it back in its appropriate spot.

"You alright back there, Guppy?" Kale hollered from the rec room.

"Fine," he answered. "Just fine." He cleaned up the rest of the gear room and retired to the rec room.

It's been two days since he had last seen Pa at the Trade Station. He's been disorganized ever since. He hasn't been focusing. Broken dishes, cut fingers, sleepless nights. The list is endless. The outlaws have noticed but didn't say anything. They all understood. Everybody has an off day.

He spread the blanket over top of himself as he settled down for the night. The outlaws were also getting ready to go to sleep up in their berths.

"Something's bothering you." Ty sat up and looked around. He couldn't see anyone. He sent out clicks and found Shade, casually leaning against the back wall.

Ty groaned and lay back down on the bench. "I'm fine."

Shade snorted. "I know you're not. I've been living with those clam suckers for three years now. I know when something is bothering someone." He sat down on the end of the bench. He sat there in silence until Ty got the message that he wasn't leaving.

"I saw my Pa at the Trade Station," he answered quietly. "He was asking fishermen if they saw me and showing them posters."

"What did you do?"

"What do you think I did? I ran. I didn't know what to do, what to say. He looked so defeated. I ran."

Shade stretched his legs out and sighed. "You know you're not forced to stay here. I expected you to ask us to drop you off when your shoulder healed but you didn't. What prompted you to stay?"

Ty sat up. "I didn't know I could leave. I guess I stayed because they accepted me, for what I was, for what I had."

"Are you saying you stayed because we accepted you for your Gift and that your parents won't?" Shade asked. "You stayed because of that?"

He shrugged. "I don't exactly know why I stayed. I just did. And now I don't know what to do. I don't want to hurt my family by leaving, but then again I don't want to leave the _Specter _because you guys accept me for what I am. I don't know if my parents will."

"They're your parents aren't they?" the outlaw asked.

"Yes."

"Well then what's to reconsider? You actually have parents unlike the rest of us. Don't take them for granted. They should accept you for what you are, not just kick you to the side or try to fix you." Shade stood up. "Take a day to think about it. We'll drop you off if you want to leave and if you wish to stay, then welcome to Seablite, Guppy." He climbed the ladder and disappeared.

Ty stayed awake the entire night. He found some pieces of paper and writing utensils lying around in the front of the _Specter. _He began to write two notes to help him plan his thoughts. One letter was to his parents and the other was to the Seablite Gang, both saying how sorry he was for leaving and why. The Seablite one was easy. The one for his family was harder.

_Dear Ma and Pa,_

_I'm sorry you've been so worried about me. I've been on the _Specter _and have decided it is the place for me. Please don't look for me. I'm not coming back._

Crap. Pure and utter crap. He crumbled up that piece of paper and took out a new one.

_Dear Ma and Pa,_

_A lot has happened during these three weeks. I've been shot, held has a hostage, became deathly ill, healed, made some friends, and came to terms with my Gift. You believe that the Dark Gift I had (biosonar) has went away. I only said that so the hospital would release me. I knew that if I told you I still had it, you would move the family Topside and we would stay there forever. The ocean is and forever will be my home. I hid my Gift so we wouldn't leave. I've been ashamed of it, but the people I'm staying with taught me different._

_I can't say who I am staying with since it could put us all in danger. You won't be able to find me so just give up. I'm not coming back. I found my place and I actually like it here. These people accept me for what I am. They understand what it's like to be a freak. I'm sorry I can't come back. I've accepted my Gift as something to be proud of. It won't go away on its own. It will always be a part of me._

_So please move on with your lives. Run the farm and run it well. I don't want the 'wealth taking it from you. Not after all that hard work we put into it. Tell Zoe that I'm sorry. I was really looking forward to that fishing trip we planned. Tell her not to be ashamed of her Gift (Yes, she has one too, as does every other child in Benthic Territory). I was wrong to tell her different._

_These will probably be the last words you hear from me. It'll be easier for us both if I just end it now instead of droning it on further. Pa, you were the greatest father a kid could ever have. You taught me many useful skills that I will never forget. Ma, I miss your cooking. Just saying, the people I'm staying with aren't great cooks. I'll miss the warm smile you always gave me and all the times you took care of me when I was sick. You always did what was best for me. I'll miss you both terribly._

_Love, Ty_

Ty looked down at both letters contently. He got out what he wanted to say for each scenario but now he had to choose which one he should leave behind. That was the hard decision he had to make. He folded them up and cleared the table where he was writing. Tucking both letters into the pockets of his pants, he collapsed onto the padded bench and finally succumbed to exhaustion.

* * *

><p>He had to wait until they docked at the Trade Station to give away his letter. No one knew what he decided. Hopefully what he did decide was the right choice.<p>

Two raids later, the _Specter _sailed towards their usual drop off location and the Seablite Gang dealt with their regular dealer before going off to the Trade Station to celebrate. It was a good week.

Dressed in the same cap and jacket, Ty was the last to the climb up the ladder and out of the _Specter_. He took the belongings from his dive belt and stuck them into the pockets of his jacket. The last thing he left behind was a folded letter on the table.

He jumped onto the edge of the moon pool and waited. Should he leave now or later? Probably now so he wouldn't have to answer so many questions later. The outlaws walked forwards towards the elevator. They didn't notice him slipping away without a word.

The outlaws usually docked when the fish market was closed. Fewer people were there to see them. The fish market was deserted as usual. The clouds had still not gone away and the wooden planks were wet from rain not too long ago. He looked around for Pa, thinking he should be here asking fishermen if they've seen him or not. Pa wasn't the type of person to give up so easily. He would still be looking for Ty.

He wandered around a bit, looking for the Slicky or anything else that suggested Pa was here. A new poster maybe? Anything really, as long as it said that Pa was here somewhere. What if he didn't find Pa? He should go to Ranger Grimes and tell him the whole story he made up to protect the Seablite Gang. He couldn't let them be caught. Not after all they did for him. They weren't what people thought of them. Underneath the scars and the murderous attitudes, they were actually quite nice people. People who were hurting and seeking justice. Or revenge. Whatever one it was. They were nice people when you got to know them. Even though they wouldn't stop raiding, Ty explained clearly in his note to them that if they ever touched a single homestead in Benthic Territory again, he would tell the Seaguard the whole story and every single detail about them. He was pretty adamant about that.

He walked from one end of the dock to the other several times. Pa should be here hopefully. Maybe he could "borrow" a sub the drive it home. He's been around outlaws for too long.

Just as he was about to give up hope and go looking for a sub, someone tapped his shoulder.

"Excuse me," the man asked. Ty turned around. With his cap pulled down low and the jacket covering up his shine, he wasn't surprised that Pa didn't notice him right away. "I was wondering if-" He drifted off as Ty pulled off his cap.

A minute of silence past, then two as Pa's eyes drifted over every aspect of Ty. No words were needed. After so many weeks apart, all they did was grip each other tightly.

Ty trembled and held onto Pa. Maybe this was a dream. Maybe Pa wasn't here.

"You're safe, Ty," his fathered whispered. "You're safe."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

The welcome home was just as Ty expected. Pa jumped out of the Slicky as fast as humanly possible to tell Ma the good news. Ty was barely on the edge of the moon pool when Ma burst in and enveloped him with hugs and kisses. Zoe came running in next and hugged him around the waist.

"Let me breathe, Ma," he said. "I'm not going anywhere."

Ma pulled away, eyes brimming with tears. "Sorry, sweety, it's just been such a long time." She straightened his jacket and licked one of her fingers to rub off a smudge of dirt on his face.

"Ma, please, I'm fine," he said.

Ma pulled her hands away. Ty took her in his arms and held her tightly. "I missed you."

She returned the pressure and kissed him on the cheek. "I missed you too. Now come inside and get yourself all cleaned up."

"We have a lot of questions for you, son," Pa said and clapped him on the back.

"I'm sure you do," Ty said and followed his parents into his house.

After taking a nice, long, hot shower for one of the first times in weeks, he felt much better. Sure he cleaned up on the _Specter, _but they didn't have the luxury of hot running water all day. Dressed in his own clothes once again, he took in a deep breath. His room was just the way he left it, cluttered with precious artefacts.

Ma served him food first, the kind of food he's been missing for three weeks. He looked back in the living room and noted that the couch had a pillow and blanket on it. Someone was staying here, but he was too occupied by actually good food to care.

"We've been so worried about you, Ty," Ma said. Pa placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "What happened to you?"

"I didn't listen to you, that's what happened," he said. "At the Peavey's place when the outlaws attacked, Shade took aim at me with a harpoon. And he shot it, right through my shoulder." He tapped the very spot where the harpoon ripped through him. "I'm fine now," he said quickly when Ma turned pale. "He hauled me onto the _Specter_. I was there for a few days before they dropped me off with a few other outlaws," he lied. "Don't bother getting Ranger Grimes to talk to me. I didn't see much of the hideout. They kept me locked up in a room." So far his parents haven't questioned him about anything. They were eating up his lie and that's the way he wanted to keep it.

"They fed me and stuff and stitched up my shoulder. They just wouldn't let me out of the room. After three weeks, the outlaws blindfolded me and took me to the Trade Station. And now I'm here. Nothing dramatic happened. No one harmed me or threatened me. Well maybe one or two threats, but other than that, they left me alone."

Ma reached out her hand. Ty took it and squeezed it gently. He was here to stay.

* * *

><p>Ma called many people that night. She told the neighbours that Ty was found and called Ranger Grimes as well to put off the search. When she called Doc, he said he would drop by the next day to give him a check-up. Ty looked at Ma. Their eyes met and he shook his head. He mouthed the words 'I'm fine.' Ma winked at him and relayed the message to Doc that Ty was fine and with a good night's rest, he would be back to normal by tomorrow. Thank you, Ma.<p>

Later in the evening, Ty finally took up the courage to talk to his parents about his Gift. He's been hiding it for too long and if he's learned anything from the Seablite Gang, is that he was to be proud of his Dark Gift, not ashamed, no matter what other people told him."

"Ma, Pa, there's something else I need to tell you," he said. They looked concerned, like he was the bearer of bad news.

Pa gripped Ma's hand. "What is it, son?"

"I've been lying to you for six years," he said. "The Gift I have? The biosonar? It's still with me. It never went away. I only said it went away to get out of the hospital." He shifted his weight from foot to foot. "It won't go away. It's always a part of me. I was ashamed of it and kept it a secret since I knew that you and Ma would move the family Topside. I want you to accept me for what I am, what I have. I don't want to move Topside. It won't fix anything. It's with me forever."

"Why are you telling us this now?" Ma asked. "If you told us sooner we could've-"

Ty shook his head. "You wouldn't be able to do anything. If I go Topside, those doctors will come after me. My Gift won't go away. The last time I went up there I came back with a scar." He pulled down the collar of his shirt and showed his parents the scar for the first time. "I'm perfectly healthy. Can't you see that?"

"We only want what's best for you, Ty," Pa said.

"What's best for me is to stay in the ocean. This is my home. I wouldn't want to go anywhere else in the world." He looked to both his parents. They looked guilty like all of this was their fault. "I'm almost sixteen. I can take care of myself."

"We know, Ty," Ma said. "We know it's just a lot to take in."

He fell into his mother's embrace. "I know it is but I can't get rid of it and I wouldn't change anything for the world." He pulled away and looked to Pa. "And that's what I had to tell you."

Pa smiled and nodded. "I'm glad you could tell us the truth."

Ty nodded and began to walk back towards his room. "By the way," he said over his shoulder, "Zoe has a Dark Gift as well, as does every child in Benthic Territory. Just thought I'd let you know."

He passed by Zoe's room and heard two voices coming from her room. The mysterious person who slept on the couch perhaps? Zoe's door was open a smidge so he pushed it open the rest of the way and stepped inside.

Zoe's room was very different from his room. She kept sea creatures in tanks all along her walls. Mostly the vicious and man eating kind. The two girls in the room were playing cards. Zoe looked up from her hand and smiled up at Ty. She ran over to him and hugged him tightly.

"I'm glad you're home," she said.

"I'm glad I am too," he said and looked up. The other girl was staring at him. Her hair was decorated with light strips of hair from too much sun. Freckles were splashed across her face. A Topsider girl, no doubt. "Hey, Zoe, can I borrow your friend for a minute?"

"Why?"

"I need to talk to her… alone." Zoe shrugged and walked off to feed her pets. She relayed Ty's message to the girl and she stood up and followed Ty into his room.

Gemma stood there, holding her arms close to her chest. She had a guilty look on her face. Ty smiled at her sweetly but her shoulders remained tense.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey."

He nodded in the direction of the bed. "Do you want to sit down or-"

"Sure." She walked over and sat down at the foot of the bed. He joined her. She turned to him so quickly and said, "I'm so sorry about leaving you behind. I didn't mean for you to get captured. I swear. I thought you were following me on the mantaboard and when I came back here, you weren't anywhere to be found."

"Gemma, I'm fine," he said and held up his hands to stop her chattering. "Can't you see? I'm not hurt."

Gemma swallowed hard and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I just felt so guilty about it. And your parents have been so nice to me since that day. They let me sleep on the couch until the spare room was finished. My very own room," she said dreamily. "It's almost too good to be true."

Ty smiled. "I'm glad you're enjoying your time here."

She smiled back at him. "I am. I only wish I could find Richard. I just wish I could know where he is."

Ty was quiet. He knew what Richard had become, but he wasn't sure if he should share the news with Gemma. What would break her heart more? Never to find Richard or finding out the Shade was her brother? He wouldn't tell her now, not until he was sure they were both ready.

He offered a smile and squeezed her hand reassuringly. "I'm sure he's out there somewhere. You'll find him."

Gemma smiled up at him. She looked down at their clasped hands. "Uh, Ty?"

He quickly let go and felt his face heat up. "Sorry."

She laughed. "It's okay. You're glowing by the way."

"I don't glow."

"Yes you do," she sang and laughed again. "Well, if that's all you want to talk to me about, I should go back to Zoe's room. She'll want to finish our game." Gemma stood up and walked towards the door.

"Hey, Gemma." He was at her side in a moment. "Mind if I join you?"

She smiled at him. "Sure. The more the merrier."

* * *

><p>It was the start of a new life for Ty. He could be the person he was born to be and be no longer a person full of shame. The life on the farm continued as it always should. The Seablite Gang never terrorized Benthic Territory again. That meant his message got through to them. He looked at Gemma swimming alongside him and smiled. Perhaps one day he would tell her the true story of his time aboard the <em>Specter<em>, the true identity of Richard, and show off his true feelings towards her. But for now it was one step at a time.

The End


End file.
